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Recent USHBC-commissioned research from Technomic indicates major growth in blueberries’ presence on restaurant menus. The 2014 study shows that overall blueberry mentions on top chain restaurant menus have increased 97 percent since …

Winter Fresh Blueberries

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Craving the taste of fresh blueberries in winter? You’re in luck! Nowadays, you’ll find fresh blueberries in the market almost every day of the year. So if you want a kick of flavor on a chilly winter morning, toss a few blueberries in your oatmeal or on your pancakes. There’s nothing like a taste of nature’s little blue dynamos to brighten a cold winter’s day!

Although the domestic harvest ends in October, fresh blueberries are still available in the United States thanks to an abundant supply from South America from October through March.

Chile accounts for the majority of fresh Southern Hemisphere blueberries imported to the United States, followed by Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru and Brazil.

Chile’s clear blue skies, hot days and cool nights are ideal for blueberry growing. The first blueberry bushes were planted in Chile in the 1980s and since then, the number of blueberry acres in the country has skyrocketed. According to the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, in 2003, Chile maintained about 5,200 acres of blueberry crops; by 2010, that number swelled to more than 32,000 acres!

Each year, tons of Chilean blueberries are harvested by hand and machine, packaged in clean, modern packinghouses, and flown or shipped to North American ports for distribution throughout the United States. Production areas in Chile stretch from Copiapó in the north to Puerto Montt in the South. The Bio region is Chile’s leading production area.